Investigations are in full progress to locate the two pilots of the Air Force F-4 that crashed in the sea area south of Andravida on Monday morning while performing a training flight.
According to the latest information from protothema.gr, the two pilots of the Phantom F-4 did not have time to leave the aircraft that crashed into the sea.
They are an Air Force captain and a lieutenant colonel who were the two pilots of the 338 Squadron Phantom
According to the same information, the F-4 operators were in "low navigation", a term meaning low flight with a minimum of 300 feet. The depth, however, at the point of fall of the F-4 is 1.000 meters.
The Air Force was alerted shortly after 10:30 when it was informed of the fall of the F-4 in the sea area off Andravida.
The two-seat F-4 was accompanied by another Phantom, and was number 2 of the formation of two Phantoms performing the training flight.
Information that has not been officially confirmed states that the formation leader informed the Andravida base that he has lost contact with "bravo 2", the two-seater F-4 that went down.
So far, it is not clear when the air accident happened, that is, if the Phantom had started the training flight a short time earlier or had completed high school and was returning together with the other F-4 to Andravida airport.
The downed F-4E Phantom II aircraft, belonging to the 338th Bombardment Fighter Squadron and based in the 117th Fighter Wing at Andravida Air Base, has so far not been located.
The second Phantom with which the F-4 that went down was doing exercises was found over the crash site and participated in the initial investigations but will leave because it is running out of fuel
Parallel to the area of the aircraft crash, boats are moving based on the instructions of the Unified Search and Rescue Coordination Center
To locate the two pilots, two AB-205 helicopters of the Air Force (one from Andravida and the other from Kalamata), an S-70 helicopter of the Navy are searching from the air, while a C-130 is also on maximum alert.
From the side of the Coast Guard, it became known that four boats, one lifeguard and two private boats are engaged in the search.
The official announcement of the General Air Staff:
"On Monday, January 30, 2023 at 10:30 a.m., an F-4 (two-seater) aircraft of 338M/117PM performing a training flight crashed in the sea area 25 nautical miles south of Andravidas airport."
Source: First Topic